The Saints and the Profane
by JP Colter
Summary: Klaus and his Hybrids. When Elena and Co.'s attempt to kill Klaus at Homecoming failed, a powerful warlock and vampire hunter intercedes the chaos. The duo have a reckoning with the Originals, which worries Klaus. However, trailing behind their arrival to Mystics Falls comes a new threat to every supernatural being in town. Set in S3. M for Content. [SLASH] OC/Maddox Tyler/Jeremy
1. Father and Son Reunion

**THE SAINTS AND THE PROFANE**

BY: J.P. COLTER

 _Disclaimer: I do not own the characters related to the CW series, Vampire Diaries. I do own any original character not belonging to the series, Vampire Diaries._

[Chapter I – Father and Son Reunion]

The homecoming party at the Lockwood mansion. Very inconvenient, Damon Salvatore thought to himself as he was surrounded by frolicking teenagers toting red solo cups. No doubt this was Klaus's idea. The wretched old vampire sure had a tendency to do things with flair. Hell, the whole Original family sounded elitist and narcissistic. Every time he heard Klaus's annoying British accent during his boring proselytizing banter, Damon had bouts of temptation to perform seppuku just to interrupt the moment. After tonight, it shall be no more. Klaus must die.

Damon reflected upon that fact intensely. Truth be told, Klaus should have already been dead. The night when Klaus broke the curse preventing him from being a true hybrid, he was at his most vulnerable. He slaughtered that werewolf bimbo Jules, Elena's aunt Jenna, whom he turned into a vampire, and even drained every drop of Elena's doppelgänger blood. During transition, Klaus was weak. Bonnie ambushed him with her magic from one hundred dead witches. All Elijah had to do was rip his brother's heart out. Instead, he pathetically fell for another empty promise by Klaus's ever deceitful tongue.

The consequences of Elijah's actions affected far more than Klaus's survival. His brother, Stefan Salvatore, turned yet again to his ripper side to serve Klaus, in exchange for the cure for a werewolf bite that endangered Damon's life. Now Klaus was driven to create an almighty army of hybrids. And yet again, Elena was in the middle of it all. Her blood was the key to Klaus's plans, thanks to his successful experiment on Tyler Lockwood. She would never be safe until Klaus was no more. Damon's hatred of the snobbish Original knew no bounds.

As he trekked his way through the crowd of hormonal teenagers, he kept an eye out for any signs of trouble. He spotted Bonnie Bennett, the resident witch, with her friend, Caroline Forbes, a vampire turned by Damon himself, by the entrance of the house. Elena arrived with Matt Donovan, a blonde jock whom Elena used to date. Matt was supposed to be here with Rebekah, Klaus's sister, but Elena was willful enough to literally stab her in the back. Damon admired her handiwork.

Elena spotted him and came over, leaving Matt to join Caroline and Bonnie. "These people, they don't look familiar."

"Klaus," Damon commented with a devious smirk. "He always has to make a spectacle out of Mystic Falls school events. Something tells me he wasn't loved when he was a teenager."

"Well, we have met his father," Elena said. "Imagine growing up with him."

"Are we all set?" Damon asked her.

Elena looked over and saw Klaus passing the doorway. "Let's get this over with."

Damon and Elena parted ways. While Elena was being Elena, Damon circled the Lockwood premises until he found Mikael, the father of the Originals, in a secluded area. "Y'know, I never quite saw my son as excited as he is now. He must be pretty stoked about my being dead."

"Let me guess," Damon chided, "this is Klaus's idea for a wake."

"Most of these people here are compelled by Niklaus," Mikael observed. "As it turns out, he did not come alone. There are hybrids at the entrances." He fetched a white oak stake from his sports coat pocket. It was the only weapon that could truly kill an Original. "If I cannot draw him outside, it will be up to you to do the job. You're the one that has been invited in. Don't screw it up, mate."

Damon accepted the weapon and concealed it. He left Mikael to do his part and went back to the house. Before going inside, he saw Klaus talking to Elena. He paused for a moment to ensure that nothing was going to happen then and there. The voluminous chatter in the air made it difficult for him to hear them from a distance. He heard Klaus say, "Give it your best shot." Of course, you can't be an Original vampire without thinking everyone is out to get you these days.

He went inside, after ripping a Hybrid's heart out, to check on the status of Tyler Lockwood, who was sired to Klaus. Perhaps he could get information on what Klaus was up to. Going up the stairs, he found Matt coming downstairs with Caroline slung over his shoulder. "What happened?" Damon asked him.

"Vervain," Matt told him. "Tyler said to take her away to safety."

Damon sighed, annoyed by Tyler's sire bond. "Might as well. I'll take it from here. Take Caroline home."

Matt followed instructions and left. Damon made his way up the stairs and ran into Tyler coming down. Damon ferociously grabbed him and tossed him into an empty office. "As the host, you should know these hybrids don't make the best first impression," he said sarcastically.

Tyler shoved him off of him. "Whatever move you're making, Klaus is going to be ready for you. He'll kill anyone at this party if he has to."

Damon scoffed. "Tell someone who cares."

He charged at Tyler with all of his speed. They wrestled around the office, trying to dominate the other. Suddenly Tyler began to transform, his fangs descending. Damon was quick to avoid getting bitten. Rebuking his attack, Damon knocked him to the floor and was about to stake him in the heart. Before he could do so, Bonnie came barging in and immediately began to cast the infliction spell on both of them. Tyler and Damon succumbed to her powers, groaning loudly as they held their heads in agony. In the process, Damon dropped the white oak stake on the floor. Tyler became unconscious.

When Bonnie was satisfied, she released them from the spell. Damon groaned as the pain subsided. "What the hell is wrong with you? You weren't supposed to witchy migraine me!"

"You weren't supposed to kill Tyler," Bonnie retorted.

"He tried to bite me," Damon said. He looked for the dagger and retrieved it from the floor.

"What is that?" Bonnie asked as he put it back in his jacket pocket.

"Nothing," Damon replied, shrugging himself off.

"Oh my God!" Bonnie said with sudden realization. "Is that the –"

"Shhh!" Damon insisted immediately. He mouthed while he pointed to his ear. "They're everywhere!"

"Why do you have it?" Bonnie said more quietly.

"Because I'm the only who can get inside the house!" He went to the office door. "Now, time to wait for daddy dearest to make his move."

It turned out he did not have to wait long. He hid behind the corner near the entrance of the house. At the doorway, Klaus was confronted with his very much alive father.

"Hello, Niklaus," Mikael greeted snidely.

"Hello, Mikael," Klaus laughed. "Why don't you come in? Oh, that's right. I forgot you can't."

"Or you can come outside if you want," Mikael challenged.

"Or," Klaus held his finger up, "I could watch my hybrids tear you limb from limb."

"They can't kill me," Mikael rolled his eyes.

"True," Klaus admitted. "But it'll make a hell of a party game. All I have to do is rub these two fingers together and they'll pounce."

The hybrids were amassed behind Mikael, awaiting for Klaus's command. Mikael just chuckled, amused by Klaus's delusions. "The big bad wolf," he commented. "You haven't changed. Still hiding behind your playthings like a coward. You only forget. They may be sired by you…but they're still part vampire." He smiled deviously. "And, they can be compelled by me."

A female hybrid came up and shoved Elena into Mikael's grasp. Klaus was dumbfounded by the turn of events. "Come out and face me, Niklaus!" He pulled a dagger from his pocket and put it toward Elena. "Or she dies."

Klaus's eyes boiled with rage. "Go ahead. Kill her."

"No, Klaus," Elena pleaded. "He'll do it."

"If she dies, this lot will be the last of your abominations," Mikael seethed.

"I don't need them," Klaus hissed. "I just need to be rid of you."

"To what end, Niklaus?" Mikael shot back, tightening his grip on Elena. "So you can live forever, with ono one at your side? Nobody cares about you anymore, boy! What do you have other than those whose loyalty you forced? No one. No one!"

Klaus's eyes welled up from the hate he felt for Mikael. "I'm calling your bluff, father." He took a step forward. "Kill. Her!"

"Come outside and face me, you little coward," Mikael taunted. "And I won't have to."

Klaus's body was shaking with rage. "My whole life you've underestimated me. If you kill her, you lose your leverage. So go ahead." He growled with fury. "Go on. Kill her. Come on, old man. Kill her. KILL HER!"

Mikael cackled at his son's desperation. "You impulse, Niklaus. It has and will forever be the one thing that keeps you from truly being great."

He looked at Klaus square in the eye as he drove the dagger into Elena's back. Klaus gasped in surprise as Elena dropped to the ground, dead. Damon used this moment of distraction to execute his end of the plan. He came from hiding and charged at Klaus from behind, twisting him around and gouging the white oak stake into his stomach to subdue him to the floor. Meanwhile, "Elena" picked herself off the floor. Mikael was taken aback. "Katherine!"

"Kaboom!" Katherine shouted with a smirk on her face, throwing wolfsbane grenades in the air at the hybrids about to avenge Klaus. They all cried out in agony as they fell to the ground, their skin burning. Before Mikael can get ahold of her, Katherine fled from the scene.

Damon had Klaus right where he wanted him. Before he could shove the stake in his heart, Stefan tackled him away from Klaus, pinning him to the floor. "What are you doing?!" he demanded of his younger brother.

Klaus saw the stake on the floor and quickly grabbed it, ambushing Mikael to the ground. But, before he could kill his father with the weapon, Klaus was shot with a silver arrow laced with vervain. Another arrow impaled his hand, causing him to drop the stake. Klaus growled and yanked the second arrow from his hand, then quickly snapped Mikael's neck to render him unconscious. Then he took out the first arrow from his ribs and looked at the direction of his attacker. He was a young guy, in his mid-twenties. Black hair and steel blue eyes. He held a hunter's crossbow.

"Hmm, a new hunter," Klaus said. "Interesting."

The hunter fired another arrow at him, but Klaus was faster and caught it in the air. Then he charged at his foe and slammed him to the ground, shattering the crossbow in the process. He tried to get ahold of his neck to bite his jugular, but the hunter was quick and stabbed him with a stake he hid underneath his sleeve. Klaus was becoming aggravated by this boy. He grabbed him by the shirt and wrestled him at vampire speed into a tree. There, he pinned both of the hunter's arms against the bark, his neck vulnerable to his fangs.

Before he could plunge into the bloody vein, Klaus was blasted away from the hunter by a bolt of black lightning. Klaus landed near his hybrids, which were all sprawled on the ground, stunned. He groaned and stumbled as he stood back up, disoriented by the power of the electrocution. "That power," he seethed. "I know that isn't the Bennett witch!"

He turned to face a guy, same in age as the hunter. He had fair olive skin, maroon brown hair, and dark eyes. Klaus's eyes widened as the person standing before him reminded him of someone. "Ariston?!"

"That would be my grandfather you're thinking of, Klaus," the mystery boy said.

"Zubin!" Klaus exclaimed. "You've grown to look so much like Ariston. The last time I saw you, I was leaving you under the care of the _very_ affectionate Ravana brotherhood."

"Too bad Farrell here found their nest and eradicated them all," Zubin said, gesturing to the vampire hunter beside him. "As it turned out, the seal on my powers was linked to their lives. Such a shame your little witch did not see that coming."

"You don't have the power to kill me," Klaus chuckled confidently. Suddenly, he charged at Zubin at super speed. Zubin countered him by firing another volley of black lightning bolts at him. Klaus cried out as he kneeled to the ground, struggling to resist the magic. "Stefan!" He called out.

Stefan emerged from the Lockwood mansion and charged to his master's aid. He shoved Farrell, the vampire hunter, back fifteen feet. Zubin was still channeling his power upon Klaus. Stefan charged at him. Zubin broke the channel and turned his attention to Stefan. He quickly flicked an open hand to him. Before Stefan reached his target, he was suddenly trapped in an ethereal ring of blue light, immobilizing him.

"Tsk, a common vampire as your lap dog," Zubin chastised. He turned back to Klaus, who was still wincing from his assault. "You're right. I can't kill you, but I can sure as hell hurt you…a lot." He delivered another charge of electricity through him to make his point. "But, that's beside the point. You know why I'm here, Klaus."

"Sorry," Klaus huffed furiously. "But I'm not anyone's bitch!"

He pulled himself up and dashed at Zubin with all his might. As they made contact, Zubin put his hand on Klaus's head. Instantly, Klaus was engulfed in a dark aura, his physical strength evaporating from his body. Klaus grunted and acceded to Zubin's dark power, falling face down into the grass. His entire body was quivering from the enfeeblement. His breath was shallow, as if his lungs were on the verge of collapsing.

Zubin squatted down by Klaus and gave him a pity squeeze on the shoulder. "I win this round, old man. But, assuming my memory is correct, that was your endearing father who took off with the white oak weapon you dropped." Mikael disappeared from where he was incapacitated, along with the stake, which Klaus had dropped nearby. "So now, I'm the least of your worries." He stood back up. "I'll get what I came for, one way or another."

Zubin motioned to Farrell for them to leave. "What about this one?" The hunter inquired, nodding to Stefan. "Perhaps he has answers."

"He's compelled," Zubin said, dismissing his magic upon the lesser vampire. He looked at Stefan straight in the eyes. "He's useless."

The hunter and the super-warlock left the premises without farther ado. Damon rushed over to Stefan to see if he was okay, then he punched him square in the jaw. "What the fuck were you thinking, Stefan! You fucked this up!"

Bonnie joined them, observing the still unconscious hybrids. "That guy was powerful. He must be using dark magic."

"Was he a witch?" Stefan asked her.

Bonnie shook her head. "He's not a witch. I did not sense a witch aura about him. He's something else."

"You're quite right, Bonnie," Klaus interjected, arising from the ground. He stumbled a bit as he tried to regain his balance. "He is no mere witch like you. He's a Necron, a very dangerous magical entity with immense darkness inside of him."

"He must be pretty powerful to go toe-to-toe with an Original Hybrid like you," Damon smirked. "Perhaps we'll become pals."

Klaus growled at Damon's sass. "Make no mistake. Necronai are consumed with destruction. He is as much of a danger to you all as he is to me. His powers have been unsealed, which means they will grow exponentially as long as he is alive." He paused and laughed to himself. "Besides," he looked up at Damon, "I'd be worry about you if I were smart. See, he's searching for his boyhood friend, Maddox."

Damon immediately remember Klaus's servant witch, who had captured Caroline and Tyler to sacrifice in Klaus's ritual to remove his curse. When Damon went to rescue them, Maddox intervened. He would have been killed by the witch if it weren't for Matt Donovan's meddlesome involvement. The teen shot Maddox with a vampire rifle, breaking the pain affliction spell. That gave Damon the opportunity to snap Maddox's neck, killing him on the spot.

Klaus smiled with bemusement at Damon's realization. "Yes, that's right, Damon. Perhaps I will not have to kill you after all." He winked at him slyly and walked away, leaving Stefan, Bonnie, and Damon to stew upon the new information.


	2. Benediction

[Chapter II – Benediction]

 _What was the point of it all_? Elena paused to ponder that question while she was sipping her tea in her kitchen. Last night was nerve wracking, especially seeing Damon so frustrated by Stefan's actions. Damon was so furious with his brother that she was afraid he might actually go to Klaus's manor and stake him once and for all. The plan was nearly flawless. It was formed to cover all contingencies. It was even brilliant to bring in Katherine to substitute for Elena. Being a doppelgänger was useful to some extent. Alas, the plan did not work and Elena's worst nightmare was still busy being impervious to death. Should they give up and just except her fate as Klaus's reusable blood source to build his hybrid army?

The very presence of Klaus was taking a toll on her. Ever since he came into town, Elena lost people she loved. She lost her aunt, Jenna, in a sacrifice. She thought she had lost her friend, Bonnie, who attempted to kill Klaus with the power that was granted her by the hundred dead witches, only to end up dead herself. It turned out to be a ruse to fool Klaus into a false sense of security, much to Elena's relief. But then, she had lost Stefan to Klaus's compulsion. It was hard to let him go, but last night, she told Damon that they both had to. It was for their sanity.

Before she could spiral into the depths of hopelessness, there was a knock at her door. She sighed and put her cup of tea on the counter before her and answered the door. A taller man with dark hair and stunning blue eyes was standing on her porch with a kindred smile. She noticed his sculpted muscles beneath his shirt and wondered who had sent this attractive package to her. "Yes? Can I help you?"

The man's expression hesitated for a moment, as if he had recognized something about her. He shook his head and resumed his pleasant expression. "Hi, my name is Farrell Donaldson. This is the Gilbert home, right?"

Elena folded her arms and looked at Farrell with caution. Damon and Bonnie had told her about a Farrell, a vampire hunter, who had attacked Klaus during their failed (second) attempt to kill him. "Yes," she answered. "I am Elena Gilbert."

"Elena," Farrell repeated, nodding his head as if it confirmed something for him. "You must be Grayson's daughter. Your father was a great family friend to my parents." There was a brief pause between them. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have dropped by unannounced. I tried looking for your house number in the phone book, but I couldn't find a Grayson Gilbert anywhere in it. Can I leave my number with you? You can give it to your father when he's around. Just tell him I'm Rylan Donaldson's son. He should know what to do."

Farrell pulled out a blank business card that had a phone number printed on it and handed it to Elena. He flashed her and smile and turned to leave. Elena took a moment to process what he just told her. "Wait!" she called after him before he reached the steps of their porch. Farrell turned back around. "Um…my father, he…passed away three years ago."

"Oh," Farrell uttered. He stood there a moment, soaking in the news. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know." He hesitated. He cleared his throat. "May I ask what happened?"

Elena took a deep breath, uncertain if she wanted to bring up the emotions that came with resurfacing such memories. "I just made a fresh pot of tea. Would you like to come in?"

Farrell nodded and followed her into the kitchen. There, they shared the pot of tea and discussed Grayson Gilbert. Elena shared how he died in the accident over Wickery Bridge. Farrell had never met her father, only knew of him through his own father and John Gilbert, Elena's biological father. She was surprised that he knew of her "uncle", but did not share that John was in fact her real father, not wanting to spoil that family secret outside of those who already knew. Farrell explained that John would frequently visit their household in Richmond while he was growing up. Elena wondered if it was vampire business, but she withheld her suspicion, wanting to see where the conversation was heading.

It was not long when Farrell began to praise the Gilbert legacy. He talked about her ancestor, Johnathan Gilbert, and his part in the founding of Mystic Falls. That signaled her to confidently reveal to him that she knew about vampires. Farrell was momentarily taken aback, but was relieved to know that Elena knew her family's history in the town. Elena told him about how John sacrificed his life through a spell to save her from becoming a vampire after Klaus drained all her blood in his ritual.

"Klaus is a rabid dog who needs to be put down," Farrell chuckled.

"He's a pretty powerful rabid dog," Elena sighed. "What's your deal with him? Why are you and your Necron friend after Klaus?"

"Zubin? How do you know about him?"

"You've met a couple of my friends last night when you crashed his party," Elena replied, refilling his tea. "From what I hear, he's very powerful. Can he really take on Klaus?"

"Zubin is very potent, yes," Farrell answered ambiguously. "He has very good reasons for wanting to deal with the Original, but those reasons are only his to share. I'm just a friend along for the ride."

Farrell's words only piqued Elena's curiosity even more. Zubin sounded like someone who could help end Klaus's reign over her life. She wanted to meet him. She wanted to let him know how much pain their mutual adversary caused her too. "How did you two meet?" She blurted out slightly too eagerly. She took a deep breath and constrained her emotions. "I'm sorry. It's just…I'm under a lot of stress with Klaus. I guess I just want to know your story."

"No sweat," Farrell responded casually. "That will be a story for another time." He paused and considered what to say next. He looked around the kitchen, as if keen on something unusual. "Your home is very quiet. I know you told me your parents died in the car accident. Has it only been you since then?"

"No," Elena shook her head, gripping her tea cup tightly. "My aunt, Jenna, became my – and my brother, Jeremy's – legal guardian. Klaus killed her in the ritual as the vampire sacrifice. Since then, it's been just Jeremy and me here. Jenna's boyfriend, Alaric, has been great support to us too." She left out her other inner circle, especially Damon, since she did not want to risk alienating the vampire hunter's alliance.

Farrell set his tea cup down and gazed into Elena's somber eyes. "Elena," he said earnestly, "The Gilbert family has been there for my family in the past. Your uncle, John, taught me how to hunt. I promise you that I will make the hybrid pay for everything he caused you and Jeremy." He sat back in his chair and smiled. "I'm happy, though, to hear that your brother is still alive."

"Why is that?" Elena said.

"You come from a line of vampire hunters," Farrell answered. "Each male descendant inherits the power of the family line. Did Grayson leave the _Bennu_ Rings to Jeremy?"

" _Bennu_ Rings?" Elena interjected. "Wait, you mean the _Gilbert_ Rings that our ancestor, Johnathan gilbert, had made to be not killable by supernatural beings?"

"Precisely," Farrell nodded, beaming brightly. " _Bennu_ is the ancient Egyptian conception of what we think of now as the Phoenix. You know, the mythological bird. The spell on your rings symbolized the Phoenix being reborn in fire. Those rings are the endowment to the Gilbert bloodline." He held up his right hand and showed her a gold ring with an artfully crafted azure stone cradled in it. "The Donaldson family also has endowment rings too. Five of them: one for me and each of my four brothers. Not as powerful as the _Bennu_ Rings. We did not have the good fortune to know a Bennett witch. The spell on ours is just being crafty. It enables us to be cloaked in stealth, making us practically undetectable by any supernatural entity. _Vidar_ Rings. The Norse god of silence, the almighty son of Odin, who avenged his father's death by the wolf, Fenrir." He chuckled to himself.

"Well, Jeremy has one of our rings," Elena informed him. "Alaric has the other."

"What? Why?!" Farrell said in surprise. "He's not a Gilbert. Why don't you have it?"

"It wouldn't work," Elena shrugged in acceptance. "I'm a Doppelgänger, a supernatural occurrence. Besides, Alaric's ring was passed down from Uncle John. Alaric is a vampire hunter like you are. His wife was killed by a vampire." Not very true, considering that Isobel _wanted_ to be turned into a vampire. Damon did the deed.

"I see," Farrell stated, his facial expression exhibiting deep thinking. "Well, I'm glad that Jeremy has his ring. I came here to ask your father, Grayson, to do a Gilbert benediction. Your brother, being the present patriarch of the family, can do it instead."

"What's that? A Gilbert benediction?"

"It's a blessing for vampire hunters coming into the Gilbert domain in Mystic Falls," Farrell explained. "It's like getting a work visa to be here. The Gilbert line is the founding family of hunters here. The benediction is a rite of passage for any hunter who has business in town. It's a customary thing, especially in supernatural hubs like Mystic Falls."

* * *

Jeremy focused and breathed steadily, his finger tenderly stroking the trigger as he aimed the crossbow at the line of now empty beer cans. His eyes fixated on one toward the center. Lining up the crossbow, which he "borrowed" from Alaric, he braced himself and fired the arrow. It barely grazed the can, rattling it slightly as it zipped past its target into the ground marred by tree roots. "Damn," he hissed, reaching for the bottle of bourbon Tyler took from his home. "So close." He took a swig of the stiff spirit and handed it to Tyler.

The woods at the outskirts of Mystic Falls provided the reprieve both boys needed. Jeremy had showed up at the Lockwood mansion and invited an already buzzed Tyler to shoot Alaric's crossbow with him, citing women problems. Evidently, Tyler was having difficulties being portrayed as the bad guy ever since Damon discovered that he was sired to Klaus through his vampire side. According to the arduous Salvatore brother, who had no room to talk after the exploits done in the name of Elena's Doppelgänger, Katherine Pierce, Tyler had effectively become a "bitch" of Klaus's will. Supposedly, he now paced Klaus's interests above anything else. However, even though he was thankful for being turned into a hybrid, he was not convinced he was completely stripped of his free will. But, even if he had a choice between being who he was or one of Klaus's hybrid, he would choose the latter. No more being a slave to the moon. He was finally the master of his inner werewolf. Caroline, his girlfriend, disagreed with his mentality.

Jeremy was no better. Bonnie dumped him after discovering that he had trouble letting go his deceased ex-girlfriend, Anna, especially after being able to see her from the Other Side. Seeing ghosts was difficult enough, which was a consequence of Bonnie resurrecting Jeremy from the dead when he died from a gunshot wound from a human. Seeing Anna again, and even Vicki, his other former love interest, affected him. It drew his emotions away from Bonnie and to a sense of comfort with something familiar and reminiscing. It did not help the situation when Anna was made corporeal by Bonnie's spell to reveal veiled matter, for Jeremy gave into to his deepest desires and kissed her. It was a brutal betrayal to Bonnie's trust and love.

Jeremy reloaded the crossbow and fired it again, this time successfully making his target. "Whoo!" He cheered enthusiastically.

"Nice shot!" Tyler praised, taking another swig of the bourbon.

"When Alaric finds out I took this," Jeremy held up the weapon, "he is going to use it on me!"

Tyler tilted his head curiously. "So, what's the deal with that? He is like your guardian now?"

"Sort of," Jeremy responded. "Yeah, I think he feels responsible for us."

Tyler nodded and pondered something. "Do you like him?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I like him." Jeremy stated as he reloaded the crossbow. Tyler was now standing in front of their targets as Jeremy trained the arrow. He scoffed. "You want to move out of the way?"

Tyler chuckled and stood his ground. "I'm a hybrid, Gilbert! You can't kill me unless you cut off my head or rip out my heart. And, you're not going to do it with that lame ass crossbow." He looked at Jeremy boldly. "Go ahead! Take a shot!" He smirked boastingly. "Unless, you don't think you can hit me."

Jeremy scoffed again at Tyler's zealousness and returned his daring gaze. He aimed at his friend's chest, his eyes still connected to his. He took a deep breath, steadied his body, and pulled the trigger. Before he could blink, the arrow was caught in the hybrid's quick grasp, mere inches away from his now feverous heart. A rush of awe over came them both. Tyler especially found himself becoming very fervent. A sudden inner-fire sparked within him, a desire and mysterious hunger kindling itself inside his very nerves. His focus intrinsically locked upon his younger buddy, who was looking at him in admiration. This yearning he had…he had not had it since….

He dropped the arrow and zipped to Jeremy at hyper speed, playfully tackling him to the ground. "Too bad, Gilbert!" He pinned his friend's arms to the grass with ease. "If you were a hunter, and you were hunting me, this would be where I drain your blood." He mimicked a vampire bite by nibbling his neck briefly. Suddenly, he felt a tingling sensation in his groin, which was against Jeremy's leg. His eyes opened wide as he realized he was getting an erection. Before it had a chance to harden against the contact, Tyler jumped off his friend, confused and panting.

"Tyler," Jeremy said. "Your eyes, they turned yellow."

Tyler groaned and shut his eyes, mentally trying to will it away. He felt a hand on his shoulder. He opened his eyes and found himself looking into Jeremy's kindred look of concern. "Hey man, are you okay?"

"Yeah," Tyler answered, gulping hard. "I guess the adrenaline from catching that arrow triggered my werewolf half for a bit."

"That's wild," Jeremy commented. "Come on. Let's go get another round of drinks from your stash."

Tyler nodded and followed his younger friend from the woods. Along the way, he had to discretely reach into his pants and readjust himself, his erection prodding itself insistently against his underwear.

* * *

Klaus sat on his exquisite leather lounge chair, waiting patiently and impatiently at the same time. He was staring blankly at the empty casket before him, wondering if he had made the right decision. That coffin once held the daggered body of his brother, Elijah. He must have stood there by his brother's desiccated body for hours before he withdrew the dagger tainted with the ashes of the white oak tree. The last time his brother was alive, he was expecting to be reunited with their family. Klaus had kept his word in the most literal sense: he daggered Elijah in the heart and dumped him with the rest of the family coffins.

When the desiccation began to recede, Klaus left the awakening Elijah with two blood bags and told him to join him once he was at full strength. That was forty minutes ago. He knew there was a chance that his brother would be scheming for his demise right now. However, he was taking a gamble on Elijah's tendency to use reasoning rather than force to achieve his own objective. He had hoped he would be inclined to hear what he had to say before attempting retaliation.

Klaus smiled when he heard calm footsteps approaching. "Good to have you join me brother," he said sincerely. He pointed to the drink on the small table beside him. "Come, enjoy."

Elijah sat down on the lounge chair on the other side of the table, eying his brother with caution and suspicion. He took the drink and took a sip. "Tell me, Niklaus. Why am I finding myself awakened in a bedroom inside what appears to be your new estate? Are we still in Mystic Falls?"

"Yes, we are," Klaus answered.

"So, I'm assuming, since I've so far been left to my own devices, I've been given this gift of being resurrected because you need something." Elijah placed the glass down and glanced at Klaus with a demanding leer. "So, get on with it brother. Why am I here? Salvatore brothers giving you trouble again?"

"Actually no," Klaus smirked with glee. "I have them right where I want them. I have Stefan compelled and in my pocket. Damon is scrambling to protect Elena from malicious ole me, especially since I have discovered that she is the key to me creating more hybrids like me." He noticed his brother's fleeting expression of surprise. "There's so much that you have missed, Elijah, but that will have to wait. There are other pressing concerns aside from that lot."

"Really now?" Elijah rolled his eyes, taking another drink. "What could possibly get you to swallow your massive ego and withdraw the dagger you so eagerly put into my trusting heart?"

"Well for one, our father is back," Klaus remarked with spite. He met Elijah's mortified expression. "Yes, our dear friends managed to awaken Mikael. He's here, and has the white oak stake in his possession."

Elijah downed the rest of his drink and reached the cantor on the table to refill his glass. "How are we still alive, then? Especially you?"

"Oh I almost died last night," Klaus muttered. "Mikael was helping them plot my death. Fortunately, my compelled friend, Stefan, intervened. I almost killed our father with the stake."

"Almost?" Elijah inquired. "What happened?"

"I had the stake almost into his heart, brother," Klaus hissed, reflecting upon the night before. "Then, Zubin Pankratios happened. He interrupted my kill and enabled him to get away."

Elijah paused and processed the information given to him. "Pankratios…hold on, you don't mean –"

"Yes," Klaus answered, completing his brother's thought. "As in a descendant of Kaisar Pankratios, the Necron we dealt with in Byzantine Greece with Kol and Rebekah."

"Well, this is a very serious predicament, then," Elijah observed. "It looks like history is repeating itself. What did you do to get this Necron on your tail?"

"You remember my good witch, Maddox, right?" Klaus told him. "Well, Maddox belonged to a family that practiced very dark magic in Atlanta. Thirteen years ago, I kidnapped him from his home to get him to serve me. I had the fortune to also find Zubin there in his bedroom as well. I took him too, thinking he was another witch for the taking. Unfortunately, I did not discover he was a Necron until a year later, when he blossomed into his second tier power. I was forced to take extreme measures and took him to the Ravena brotherhood in Vancouver to have his power sealed. That was the last I saw him until last night, with a vampire hunter no less."

"The Ravena brotherhood?" Elijah uttered with disdain. "That perverted 'fraternity' of vampires is still in existence?"

"I know what you're thinking, Elijah," Klaus countered. "But, Zubin was a Necron. Like I said, it was a desperate measure. You know as well as I do how dangerous they can get. His vampire hunter friend freed him from the brotherhood. He told me they were all killed, which means the seal on his power is broken."

"Okay," Elijah said, getting up from the chair. "I now understand the depth of your situation. Honestly, I don't understand how I can help you, Niklaus. Zubin will come after you until he gets what he wants." He suddenly realized something. "But, you can't offer him what he wants, can you? Your witch is dead, isn't he?"

"This is why I awakened you," Klaus smiled. "You are very intuitive. Now, our father is out there, but he has not made his next move yet, so he will have to wait. Is there anything you know about Necronai that I do not?"

"I do not believe so," Elijah responded, putting on his thinking cap. "However, I do recall that our mother did witch business with a Necron back home on occasions. We need to revive Rebekah. She would know more about that. She spent more time with Mother than we did."

"Of course," Klaus nodded, seeing his brother's clarity. "Well, here's the kicker: our dear friends have her at the moment. Very long story, I'm afraid."

"Good God, Niklaus. Do you want me to get her back for you?"

"No need, dear brother. It's a work in progress as we speak. You'll see here shortly."

* * *

"Just in time!" Elena exclaimed as Jeremy walked into the front door. Alaric was talking with Farrell about vampire hunting, but fell silent as the teenage boy approached them in the kitchen. "We're cooking." Elena continued.

"Sorry," Jeremy said, going to the fridge and quickly retrieving a ziploc bag and a Gatorade, avoiding eye contact with Alaric.

"Jeremy, wait," Alaric called to him before he rushed back to the front door. "This is Farrell Donaldson. He's a friend of your father's. He came here for your help."

"Oh," Jeremy turned to them. He nodded acknowledging to Farrell. "Can we do this later? I made plans with Tyler. He's right outside."

"When did you start hanging out with Tyler Lockwood?" Alaric stopped him again.

"I don't know…does it matter?"

"Yes, Jeremy! It matters. He was sired by Klaus! He's dangerous." Elena said, alarmed by this revelation.

"He can still hear you," Jeremy ridiculed. "He's right outside." He thought for a moment. "But, if you have a problem with me being friends with Tyler, let's clear this up right now. Yo, Tyler! Come on in!"

Elena gasped in astonishment. "Jeremy!"

Tyler opened the front door and entered, glancing at everybody with speculative vigilance. Before another word could be spoken, Farrell jumped from the stool he was sitting on and threw something at him with staggering swiftness. The hybrid huffed and barely caught the projectile before it could reach his heart. It turned out to be a sai made of crimson varnished metal. "What the fuck is this?!" He cried out.

Farrell began to approach Tyler maliciously, but Elena stood in his way. "No, don't. It's okay."

"Who the fuck is this guy?" Tyler demanded, coming into the kitchen to size up Farrell.

"I forgot to mention," Alaric held up his hand. "Farrell is a hunter. Quite more professional than I am, actually."

"Sorry," Farrell grinned snidely, taking his weapon back from Tyler in a quick move. "I thought you were endangering these good people here."

Jeremy's cell phone rang. He answered it and went into the living room to take the call. Tyler growled and stormed out of the house, knowing he could not challenge Farrell. The skilled vampire hunter gleamed at his handiwork and sat back down. Alaric sat beside him. "What kind of weapon is that? A sai?"

"A very special sai," Farrell remarked, placing it back in its resting place underneath his jacket. "Very effective against supernatural beings. I call it the Halcyon. It's quite the peacemaker." He looked up at Elena. "I apologize for that. I should not have been that impulsive."

"It's fine," Elena sighed. "I'm just glad he's gone now."

"Where's your brother?" Farrell asked.

Alaric and Elena followed his attention to the living room. The front door was still open and Jeremy was nowhere to be found. "His ring!" Elena gasped as she dashed to the coffee table, where Jeremy's Gilbert ring was placed in all its lonesome. Alaric and Farrell ran outside and found Jeremy standing in the middle of the street, idling there, staring blankly off in the distance.

"Jeremy?!" Alaric called to him. "What are you doing?"

"He's compelled!" Farrell stated direly.

Before they knew it, a speeding SUV came around the corner and drove straight at Jeremy, who did not move from his position. He just stood there, mindlessly watching the vehicle come in his direction. Alaric, Farrell, and Elena all ran frantically to Jeremy's rescue. Farrell was the fastest of the three and managed to shove Jeremy out of harm's way. Before the SUV could collide into him, he touched his ring. Elena saw him turn invisible. The SUV stopped in its tracks, and Elena and Alaric went to Jeremy's assistance on the side of the street.

The SUV pulled up beside them. The driver rolled the window down and gleamed at them sinisterly. It was Klaus's hybrid that was following Elena earlier in the day, Tony. "There I go again," he said. "Almost bumping into people."

Before he could speed off, the vehicle door was yanked open by an unseen force. Then, Tony cried out in agony as blood began to soak a huge puncture in his shirt where his heart was. His skin was quickly turning pale as he writhed in pain. Suddenly, Farrell reappeared at Tony's side, having the Halcyon impaled deep into the hybrid's chest. "Too bad you bumped into this instead," Farrell quipped as he watched Tony desiccate completely.

"How did he not see you?" Alaric asked him.

"What do you mean?" Elena said. "He turned invisible."

"No, he didn't," Alaric shook his head. "I saw him plain as day."

"But…," Elena's thought trailed off.

"Courtesy of a family ring, Alaric," Farrell answered his question, withdrawing the sai from its victim. "Remember what I said, Elena? My ring allows me to be in stealth from _any_ supernatural entity. That includes the Doppelgänger. Alaric is not supernatural. Ergo, the ring's spell does not work on him."

Jeremy groaned and came to, scrunching up and holding his head. Elena put a hand on her brother's shoulder. "Are you alright?"

He looked around, baffled by why he was in the street. "I don't understand."

"You were compelled," Alaric told him. "Who was that on the phone?"

Jeremy took a moment to remember. _"You know that thing I told you to do? Well, why don't you get on with it."_ His eyes widened in horror. "It was Klaus!"

Elena shook her head frantically. She dug out her phone from her pocket. "I can't do this anymore. That bastard targeted you." She put the phone to her ear. When her call was answered, she took a deep breath, fighting to keep back her tears. "Damon, Klaus almost got Jeremy killed through compulsion. Give him Rebekah, please!" She held her face in her hands. "I don't care about that! Just do it, Damon! Or I will tell him where it is myself, so he can claim her from your cold undead hands!"

She hung up, frustrated. Her eyes connected with Jeremy. She nodded in assurance that everything will be okay and helped him on his feet, leading him inside the house with Alaric. Farrell drove off with the SUV with the rotting corpse of the hybrid.


	3. Vampyrm

[Chapter III – Vampyrm]

Damon hated this moment. It took him a few moments to even work up the nerve to knock on Klaus's immaculate door. Every impulse he had was screaming at him to leave immediately. He had no desire to return Rebekah's stony corpse to her older brother. Why did Klaus have to be one step ahead? It turned out the Original had Jeremy in his pocket for quite a while, using Lockwood Jr. as a conduit for compulsion. _Fucking sire bonds_ , Damon cursed repeatedly in his mind.

Klaus answered the door and stood aside, gesturing Damon to enter. The younger vampire shot him a crude glare as he walked past him, heaving the lifeless body of the blonde psycho bimbo. Desiccation was definitely not her color. Klaus led him to his supposed den of iniquity, instructing him to lay the body on a day bed made of rustic wood. Sitting across the way was Stefan, who greeted Damon with ominous eye contact. Damon wondered if he could shove the dagger embedded in Rebekah's back into _his_ younger sibling's throat. The temptation was strong, but he restrained himself like the classy gentleman he was.

"I'm glad you have finally arrived to your senses, Damon," Klaus commented as he brushed his sister's hair with his hand. "It seems like Zubin is a little slow in investigating Maddox's whereabouts. I can't wait to get the front row seat to Zubin's vengeance upon you."

"Easy now, brother," Elijah's voice sounded as he entered the den. Stefan stood up in shock. The last time he saw Elijah was with a dagger in his back. Elijah approached Stefan and Damon. "Greetings, Salvatores. Thank you for bringing our sister home." He briefly scanned her decayed body. "Based on how dirty her dress is, I suspect you kept her cozy in a nice stuffy cellar." He would know, he was down there too.

Damon shrugged. "Whoever said our house was five-star?"

"Elijah," Stefan stuttered to find words. "H-how are you alive? What's going on?"

"Nice to see you too, Stefan," Elijah smiled slightly. "Unfortunately, we do not have time for idle banter. Niklaus, please." He turned to his brother and insistently gestured to Stefan.

Klaus reluctantly went over to Stefan and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Well, Stefan, it's been fun mate. We had a wild ride together. Now," he squeezed his grip and focused straight into the younger vampire's eyes, " _you're free to go. You no longer have to do as I say._ " Almost immediately, Stefan felt a weight evaporating from himself. Klaus patted him on the back and returned to Elijah's side.

"Wait, you're letting my brother go?" Damon inquired suspiciously. "At what cost?"

"Not much really," Klaus stated. "Just that you stay out of our hair, and we will stay out of yours…for now." He picked up a crystal glass containing blood and toasted it to Stefan. "Send Elena my regards. I'm sure she will be happy to know of your freedom." He winks and took a sip.

"I'll see you two out," Elijah said curtly.

Stefan and Damon followed Elijah to the door, confused about the proceedings taking place. When they were escorted onto the porch, Stefan stopped Elijah from shutting the door after them. "Elijah, please. What's going on? Why did Klaus bring you back alive? Why are you being friendly with him, after what he did to you?"

"I know what he did to me, Stefan," Elijah told him firmly. "I am hardly being friendly with him. Niklaus is far from forgiven. However, a _family_ matter is at hand, therefore we are willing to set aside our differences for the time being. My advice: take Klaus's leniency with appreciation. Stay out of our way and we will do the same for you."

Damon and Stefan departed with an air of uncertainty. Elijah returned to his brother, who was gazing smugly at his little sister. "Nosy lot, aren't they?" Klaus commented aloud. "I wonder, Elijah, where your allegiance will lie once this business with Zubin is sorted out. Should I be worried?"

"You have enough on your plate, brother," Elijah replied obliviously. "Let's get down to business." With that, he watched his brother withdraw the dagger from Rebekah's back.

* * *

Mystics Falls Grill was a fascinating place in the town. It seemed to be the gathering place of the residents in the evening. School was obviously over, judging by the amount of teenagers swarming the place. The bar was looking lively as well, with adults getting their alcoholic whistle wet. Farrell and Zubin were sitting at the corner at the edge of the bar, away from roaming ears. They were both drinking whiskey, which was suitable after the day that they had experienced. They did not expect to encounter a lot of supernatural hurdles in a small town like this. Chicago seemed more forbearing than this Virginian settlement.

Throughout the United States there were supernatural hubs, cities that were saturated with supernatural entities embedded in their societies. Chicago, Boston, Kansas City, Portland, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, New Orleans, Baltimore, Miami, and San Francisco were the largest hubs in the country. In these cities, the supernatural life ran parallel to the human life. The supernatural communities operated in a way where their lives did not collide much with the lives of the other citizens. Some called such communities shadow cities, because if one were to peel back the light of the mortal world, they would see the supernatural layer underneath it. Personally, Shadow New Orleans was Zubin's favorite destination. It was fun to play vampire croquet with Farrell in the French Quarter.

Unlike these destinations, Mystic Falls was different. The supernatural often spilled into the mortal life. Perhaps it was because of its small size, because the town's history was steeped in supernatural events. Vampires, witches, werewolves, hunters, and now a Doppelgänger influenced the town's events. It did not help that two Originals were present as well. Mikael and Klaus were surely going to throw the town in disarray if they allowed their petty father-son problems go unchecked.

Zubin and Farrell were discussing their current predicament over the whiskey. They had two problems they did not foresee. The first was Klaus and his newfound power as an Original Hybrid. Zubin was not aware that Klaus broke his curse until Farrell reported what he learned from Elena Gilbert. This newly discovered fact complicated their plans. Now that Klaus was a true Original Hybrid, they needed to change their tactics to account for his werewolf half. Zubin only had enough power to counter an Original _vampire_. Farrell's Halcyon would have to become their Hail Mary if it came to that point.

Farrell had not told his Necron friend much about the Halcyon. It was a weapon gifted to him by a priest during a summer vacation with his brothers in Italy five years ago. The priest's name was Caden. He never learned his last name. Caden knew that the Donaldson family was a lineage of hunters. He instructed that the Halcyon would help protect them against supernatural enemies. Following their encounter with Caden, the five Donaldson brothers began to be bombarded with adversaries. Before their trip to Rome came to a conclusion, the brothers were separated from one another. Farrell was the only one that had returned home to Richmond, with the Halcyon in hand. To this day, he remained in the dark about the whereabouts of his other siblings.

Farrell's father, Rylan Donaldson, told his son to leave the search for his brothers to him and his mother, Hue. They wanted him to continue his education and live as normal as possible. Currently, his parents were in Brazil, where they suspected was the location of Farrell's youngest brother, Adrian. However, after he had graduated from George Mason a year later, Farrell began his own search. This decision led him to Vancouver, Washington three years ago, where he was hoping to find his oldest brother, Brennan. Instead, he found Zubin.

The second problem was the lack of sufficient allies. When they heard the rumor that Klaus descended upon Mystic Falls, the duo took it as a sign that it was where everything would come to fruition. Farrell had told Zubin about the Gilbert family line and the presence of the Bennett witches here. They were hoping to obtain their assistance, only to be disappointed. It was a devastating blow to Farrell to learn that the Gilbert line had been almost wiped out. Zubin also learned that the Bennett line now only had one witch alive, who was not very strong presently. Bonnie Bennett was under the guidance of her grandmother, Sheila, when learning her craft. Sheila died from performing a spell to lift a seal off a tomb under some church. Bonnie's mother abandoned her when she was young. If Bonnie still had the power of the one hundred witches, Zubin would have use for her.

Farrell downed the rest of his whiskey in his fourth glass and instructed the bartender for a refill. Zubin eyed the boy, whose name was Matt. Those innocuous blue eyes intrigued him. Farrell noticed his curious inspection and slapped his arm. "Hey, eyes off the young ones," he warned. "We can't risk rustling up the locals."

"No harm if I look and don't touch," Zubin chuckled, feeling the booze doing its magic. The boy returned with two fresh glasses of whiskey and flashed them a smile before attending to other customers. "I wonder if small town boys are really eccentric in bed."

"Let's get back to the business at hand, bud," Farrell laughed as he tapped his glass with Zubin's as they took another drink together. "What are we going to do about the lack of a Gilbert vampire hunter?"

Zubin took a moment to think, still eying the young man candy from a few feet away. "Well, you said that Jeremy Gilbert is the heir to the Gilbert family line. Why not train him in your ways? What about this Alaric guy you told me about?"

"He's Jeremy's history teacher," Farrell shrugged. "He wasn't properly trained as a hunter. He mostly winged it from his wife's research. I asked him if he knew to perform a paralysis maneuver on a vampire. No dice." He was speaking about a common hunter technique that involved lodging a stake into a vampire from behind and shattering it in a way that it leaves pieces of wood imbedded deep in the spine, making it extremely difficult for the vampire to be mobile. Zubin had witnessed him use it a few times. It was useful for lessening a body count.

"Let's be honest, Mr. Donaldson," Zubin scolded. "Not everyone can be as elite as you. Grace little Gilbert with your knowledge, for posterity or whatever."

"What about you, Pankratios?" Farrell shot back. "What are we going to do with Bonnie Bennett? She's the only witch in town."

"She was not completely a dead end," Zubin told him. While Farrell visited the Gilbert residence, Zubin visited Bonnie. During his visitation, he explained to her the nature of Necronai and sought to test out her magic. She was incapable of performing most of the spells he requested her to do. This discouraged her, but Zubin made sure to assure her that she had nothing to worry about, that she would grow into her magic in time. "She did the tracking spell successfully. I know the last location of Maddox."

"So, he's _not_ with Klaus?" Farrell asked.

"Apparently not," Zubin nodded with a spark of hope in his eyes. "She said he was at the old Lockwood Plantation. There are cellars there from the old slave days. Here's to hoping that Klaus locked him in one for failing something." He held up his glass in another toast and drank to that.

" _But_ , do you think Bonnie can do what you need to do, you know, if it is needed?" Farrell pressed again.

"By herself, no," Zubin shook his head. "It is very inconvenient that the spirits decided to revoke their powers from her when she resurrected Little Gilbert. Witches are douche bags, I tell you."

"But she _can_ , if she…uh…does whatever Necron thing you told me about months ago?" Farrell held his head, feeling the buzz overtaking him.

"No doubt," Zubin answered, taking another sip of his beverage. "The only question is whether she is strong enough to resist what comes with it. Maddox was not able to, which is why he ended up in Klaus's pocket."

Before they could continue discussing Bonnie, Alaric came up beside them. "Hello, Farrell," he greeted warmly. He looked at Zubin. "You must be Farrell's friend, Zubin. I'm Alaric." Zubin nodded in acknowledgment. Alaric smiled as Matt brought over a glass of bourbon. He took a drink and then looked over at the Necron and hunter. "Now, what were you saying about Bonnie Bennett? I love a good gossip at my favorite bar."

* * *

His entire body was tense with fury as he trekked through the woods. The crossbow in his hands weighed in his pale fists as he gripped it as if it were his most prized possession. He had already pre-loaded it with an arrow and tied a quiver of more arrows upon his back. He only had one objective: put an arrow in Tyler Lockwood's heart. Or face. Whichever was the biggest bull's-eye at the moment. For God's sake, he shared a joint with that jackass. Obviously, their friendship was nothing more than a fabrication by Klaus's will. Drinking together, bonding over girl problems, it was all fake. He'll show him the consequences of his betrayal.

What irony that Tyler was at same location as they were before, drinking out of a bottle of Jack. It was poetic justice. Instead of using beer cans for target practice, he could use Tyler instead. He quietly approached him from behind, aiming the crossbow at his upper vertebrae. That would surely hurt. Before he could squeeze the trigger, the deceiver warned, "Don't do it, Jeremy."

"Why not?" Jeremy seethed venomously. "You stabbed my back, I stab yours!"

Tyler sighed incredulously. "I didn't –" As he turned around to face him, an arrow impaled itself into his left shoulder. He grimaced as the pain seared through his arm and chest briefly. "What the fuck, man?!"

"That's for almost getting me killed, you jackass!" Jeremy spat as he quickly reloaded the crossbow. As Tyler pulled out the first arrow, he shot a second into his ribs. Tyler groaned and staggered back a bit, dropping the first arrow.

"Motherfucker!" Tyler cursed, pulling the second arrow out. Before the younger boy could go for a third shot, the hybrid rushed at him and knocked the weapon from his grip. Jeremy grabbed him by the shirt and slammed his forehead against his opponent, just like Alaric showed him before. "God damn it, Gilbert!" Tyler grunted, grabbing his attacker's arms and thrusting him into a tree, pinning him against it.

Their eyes met in such close quarters. Jeremy's anger was strangely attractive to Tyler. His feral animus inside of him began to become aroused again. His own eyes began to turn yellow. He shut them immediately and fought it while keeping his hold on his struggling friend. "Let me go, Tyler!" Jeremy demanded, frantically attempting to shove him off. He managed to get an arm lose and tried to grab Tyler's neck. Tyler responded by grabbing his wrist and slamming his hand against the rough bark. "Ah fuck!" Jeremy winced.

Tyler opened his eyes, which returned to normal. He smelled blood. The seductive aroma immediately drove him over the edge. He breathed heavily as his entire body was engulfed in heat. His manhood became engorged, fighting to tear through his jeans. He grabbed Jeremy's injured hand and examined the crimson blood slowly dripping from the palm. Jeremy whimpered, expecting him to turn into vampire mode any second. Tyler remained silent as he took the splinters out of the wound, cherishing the sight of sanguine red. When he finished, he brought the hand to his lips and licked the blood. From the very first drop, his brain fired up into a delirium. He moaned in ecstasy as he lapped the blood into his throat, savoring the sweet flavor. Jeremy just stood there frozen, afraid of what he would do next. Surprisingly, his fangs did not appear. Instead, his eyes turned yellow again.

The hybrid's body was shivering with pure euphoria. He looked up into Jeremy's eyes as he sucked the blood, his moans vibrating from his throat. Once there was no more blood to enjoy, Tyler dropped his hand and panted erratically, as if he just ran a marathon. Before Jeremy could say something, the older teen brought his body to his own and kissed him, holding him tight as if he were afraid he might disappear. At first, Jeremy tried to fend him off. But then, as Tyler's passion overtook him, his resistance melted away. He was receptive to Tyler's tongue entering his mouth, initiating a tango with his own. Tyler's hands roamed down Jeremy's back to his buttocks, which he grabbed and lifted him up with ease, forcing Jeremy's legs to be at his waist. Jeremy grunted as he was pushed back into the tree again, Tyler using the leverage to pressure their bodies together even more. Their kiss became more and more heated, Tyler grinding his pulsing groin against him.

Before they could get lost completely into each other, Tyler heard laughter from afar with his supernatural hearing, snapping him out of his mania. His eyes returned to normal as he broke contact, pulling back and letting Jeremy back on his feet. "What's wrong?" Jeremy asked. They were both working to catch their breath.

"Someone's coming," Tyler huffed.

Jeremy turned to see where his attention was. When he did not see anything, he turned to ask Tyler what he was talking about, only to find himself alone.

* * *

"So, you're free from compulsion," Damon said, entering Stefan's room unannounced. "What's to prevent me from putting wood into your heart right now? You know, for fucking up my plan to kill Klaus and all."

"Because you love me," Stefan replied. He was at his desk, reading something. "Or, maybe because I saved your ass…again."

Damon glared at him suspiciously. "Bullshit!"

"Deny it all you want, Damon," Stefan scowled. "But, you know Klaus had a contingency plan. Your death was his insurance policy. If he died, his hybrids, through the sire bond, would have retaliated against you. All it would have took was one bite to do you in, and with Klaus's death goes the cure for a werewolf bite."

"You know, your hero complex is getting fucking annoying, Stefan!" Damon growled. He paused and inhaled deeply, restraining his temper. "But, since you're so bent on keeping me alive, any ideas how to avoid becoming Necron soot? If he can harm an Original, I'm pretty sure he can kill me with ease."

"I'm afraid not," Stefan said. "I was actually thinking about how Klaus conveniently released me from compulsion minutes after you delivered Rebekah's body. I suspect it was not a showing of gratitude. Both Elijah and Klaus did not want me present there. They know that if Zubin ever discovers you killed his friend, we cannot stop him from killing you in vengeance. So, I'm starting to believe that the reason for my release was so that I don't know what the hell they are planning to combat the Necron so I could do the same thing to save you."

"Well, it was nice knowing you brother," Damon said, turning to leave. "I'll go see if the family archives have anything more useful."

"Wait," Stefan called after him, getting up from his chair. "This may be a long shot, and desperate I may add, but didn't Katherine once talk about meeting a powerful warlock in Versailles in the 1700s? Supposedly, this warlock had an abnormal amount of power that witches sought to kill him to use of him as a source of magic."

"You're right, that is a _very_ farfetched," Damon chided. "Wasn't the 1700s when she was bouncing all over Europe, running from Klaus? Who knows fact from fiction from that century?"

"If Katherine had a strong ally to avoid Klaus, it would have been a Necron," Stefan countered. "But then again, you're probably right. Since when do we go to Katherine for a solution?"

"Exactly," Damon nodded in agreement. "So, do you want to do the honors?" He fished out his cell phone from his pocket. "Or should I?"

* * *

Tyler stormed into Klaus's posh mansion with a mission in tow. He ignored the other hybrids walking the premises and went upstairs to find Klaus in his bedroom. "Tyler!" Klaus spoke with his usual sarcastic flair. "Judging by the sound of your stomping, you're upset about something. What can I do to make your day better?"

"You can tell what the hell you did to me!" Tyler shouted. He sized up Klaus and hissed. "Why the hell am I having sexual urges for my friend, Jeremy? Did you compel me?"

Klaus cackled in amusement. "Tyler, mate, I would never compel you. You're my first successful hybrid. You're special to me. But, I'm glad to see that you're fulfilling your duties to the most utmost level."

"What are you talking about?" Tyler questioned, perplexed.

"I told you to secure the Gilbert boy's compliance _by any means necessary_ ," Klaus explained. "So, you took him off the vervain so I could compel him. Good boy. But, now you're taking it to the next level. Seduction is very good way of putting someone in your pocket. Jeremy could prove to be nice leverage down the road. Brilliant thinking, Tyler, really."

"I'm not gay!" Tyler promulgated firmly. "I-I love Caroline."

Klaus sighed and put a hand to his head. Then he went to his bedroom door and closed it. "Tyler, you are severely not appreciating the gift I have bestowed upon you. You're not human anymore. You're a _hybrid_. You're vampire _and_ werewolf. You may love Caroline, but our sexuality is very, _very_ fluid. We are not bound by mortals' preoccupation with gay, straight, or whatever label they want to put on things. We _can_ be poly-amorous. We're immortal! The best way to be immortal is to enjoy life and enjoy the many fruits it offers."

Klaus approached Tyler and subtly brushed his arm with his fingertips. "Understand our _vampyrm_ , Tyler, our state of being. All of our senses are heightened. Touch." He caressed his biceps and shoulders. "Smell." He leaned in and inhaled Tyler's musky scent. "Hearing." Both of their hearts were frolicking with enthrallment. Klaus's hands wondered down Tyler's chest and underneath his shirt, sensually stroking his abs and pectorals. Tyler gasped and shuddered with elation as every nerve jolted alive. "Humans can only dream to experience this, Tyler. Our very bodies are sources of great pleasure." He gently pushed Tyler against a nearby wall and ground his body against the lad's. "We can get lost in the moment," he whispered hotly into Tyler's ear. He found Tyler's nipples and rubbed them brusquely. Tyler moaned and braced himself against the wall, his loins fervently subsumed in pulsating fire.

Klaus masterfully stimulated him, sending bolts after bolts of electricity throughout his entire body. "We can be completely consumed by everything. We are masters of seduction. Everything feels good with us." He pinched the nipples firmly, forcing Tyler to cry out. "Vampires are sensual and exotic. Werewolves are brute and feral. Combine those into a hybrid and you become an ideal sex machine." He alternated between rubbing and pinching. Tyler's throbbing member leaked manically in his pants. "So, don't worry about the gender." One of the Klaus's hands released the nipple it was harassing and snaked its way down to Tyler's raging hard on. "Worry about the release." He looked at Tyler right in the eye as he clasped his grip on his protruding erection. Tyler bucked at the touch and his entire body trembled with elation as he expelled his orgasm.

"Fuck!" Tyler breathed intensely, steadying himself against the wall. His legs felt enfeebled, as if all his strength was drained upon the release of his come. He looked at Klaus, unsure of what to do next.

Klaus grinned devilishly and withdrew his other hand from under his shirt. He patted Tyler on the arm, as if he were a teammate after a game they had won. "So, now you understand. Don't deny your instincts, boy. If you want the Gilbert boy, you have the power to take him."

Suddenly Klaus's bedroom door barged open, making way for the entrance of his now awakened sister, Rebekah. "Where is that literally backstabbing bitch?!" She demanded majestically. Klaus rolled his eyes and gestured Tyler to leave, who did so gladly. "I want to snap her neck like a god damn twig!"

"Calm down, Rebekah," Elijah commanded, coming into the room. "Elena Gilbert is going to have to wait. We have other problems."

"Really?" Rebekah responded acrimoniously. "What's more of a problem than the scheming, pain-in-the-arse Doppelgänger?"

"A pain-in-the-arse Necron," Klaus said to the point. His sister's impassioned temper was always a bane of his existence, and his ears. "Long story short, the descendant of Kaisar Pankratios is here to haunt my very being…again."

"Well, Nik, that falls on you," Rebekah scolded. "You were the one that invoked his anger. The rest of us were bystanders caught in the crossfire."

"Before we delve into some tedious blame game," Elijah interrupted, "Let's talk about something more pragmatic." He approached Rebekah, standing in her view of Klaus. "Dear sister, did Mother ever mention anything to you about Necronai? We know she dealt with them before we became vampires."

"Nothing comes to mind," Rebekah said dissenting. "All I remember is that she used to talk about her talisman being enchanted to resist their darkness." In a moment of epiphany, she checked her neck, which still had her mother's necklace looped around it. "Wait, you think she meant this can negate a Necron's power?"

"I would not doubt it," Elijah said. "She was a smart witch. If she were to deal with such dangerous creatures, she would have found a way to protect herself from it."

"There's one way to test it out," Klaus chimed in. "Since Mother gave you her necklace, you will have the honor to do it."

"I'm not facing the Necron alone," Rebekah scoffed, crossing her arms. "This is your battle, you test it out."

"Oh, you won't be alone, little sister," Klaus told her smugly. "I say we awaken Kol and put down a united front." He grinned broadly. "Just like old times."


End file.
